WHO Declares End To COVID Emergency, Urges Lifting of Related Travel Restrictions

The World Health Organization (WHO) declared an end to the COVID-19 global health emergency on Friday.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stated that the pandemic "has been on a downward trend" for more than a year.

Among the temporary recommendations issued by the WHO Director-General is that member states continue to lift COVID-19 international travel-related health measures, based on risk assessments, and not require any proof of vaccination against COVID-19 as a prerequisite for international travel. 

The news comes just days after the U.S. government announced it would end COVID-19 vaccination requirements for international travelers and federal workers on May 11.

U.S. Travel Association CEO Geoff Freeman said the move to "lift the vaccine requirement eases a significant entry barrier for many global travelers, moving our industry and country forward."

According to WHO’s Coronavirus Dashboard, the cumulative cases worldwide now stand at 765,222,932, with 6,921,614 deaths.

For the latest travel news, updates and deals, subscribe to the daily TravelPulse newsletter.

Disclaimer: The copyright of this article belongs to the original author. Reposting this article is solely for the purpose of information dissemination and does not constitute any investment advice. If there is any infringement, please contact us immediately. We will make corrections or deletions as necessary. Thank you.